Same here... Second time in two days. No results for number... Either a collection call or they got my number from a job search. They are calling my cell.
I got a call from 1-900-193 today and there was actually someone there. He wanted to talk to the marketing department of my company. This was on my cell phone and my company (such as it is - a little freelance web design) is one person, so I fairly politely told him to go away.
About three days ago, I got another call from a six digit number that was I think a 900 number (my call log got wiped so I'm not sure). I know the reason for that call: I had just created a new web site hosting account and knew I would receive a verification phone call before the account could be activated. When the call came, I picked up but no one spoke, and the account was then activated.
Does this throw any light on it for anyone? I hope that, having given my cell number to a new company, I will not start getting a lot of weird calls like this.
Guess I'll chime in. I got a call today on my personal cell phone (I'm in the Cincinnati area) from 900-193; picked it up and a woman with a distinctly Indian accent asked me "are you the person in charge of marketing your website?"
Well, since none of my websites actually sell anything, and I'm certainly not in charge of marketing at work (I'm a software developer!), I hung up.
Yep, it looks like it's just a company that none of us wants to talk to that's scouring domain records. Here's a hint that I learned while working at the Gallup phone polls: if you DO get to talk to someone, and you say "do not call again" or something similar, they are legally not permitted to call you again. If you just hang up, they can keep calling as much as they want. Or, at least that's what they told us in training. It seems to have worked for me; I don't think I've gotten a single callback since I started doing that myself.
Come to think of it ... I think I got an Idian sounding dude asking that same question, "who's in charge of advertising website." That was only on one of the calls. The others were just silence.
Looks as if everyone is receving the calls on their cell phones. If you manage to get a human on the line, remind them that it's illegal to make unsolicited calls to cell phones.
Third time in three days, same time - they have a dialer which would explain why some people didnt get a response, no one at their desk. Makes sense that it would be a marketing call solicited from domain records as I own several. I am on the national do not call list, so they are probably not doing this legally. Since we now know what they're doing, I will answer it tomorrow and ask them to not call again.
Has to be some sort of number masking thingamajig...
I've been getting calls from this number (I'm in NY) daily for the last week or so. I've never picked up.
About a week before this I was getting similar calls from an equally odd looking number, and I did pick up. It was some guy with a very thick Asian accent of some kind saying some nonsense about advertising/marketing.
Bunch of calls from that fake Caller ID number. My phone doesn't allow number-based blocking unfortunately. Someone has obviously figured out how to use cheap labor, unlimited VoIP, and a Caller ID spoofer (which is very easy) to try to drum up business.
I'm in Austin, TX with AT&T (iPhone). I started getting calls from 900-193 starting 6/2 (1 call), 6/3 (2 calls back-to-back), 6/4 (1 call, answered but signal dropped immediately), 6/9 (3 calls!).
I recently transfered a .org domain Network Solutions to GoDaddy. This this ring a bell for anyone??
Since posting last week, I've gotten at least two more calls from 1-900-193. Today it was a women asking about marketing - even though I told a guy last week I wasn't interested. I yelled at her. I doubt there's anything legal we can do to stop them, as I too am already on Do Not Call lists. I am ordinarily a peaceful person - but I wonder if it would help if next time one of them calls me I threaten them with violence? Or would that just get ME in trouble? I'd like to see them try it!
Oh - to openidmaverick, tranferring a domain name doesn't ring any bells, I haven't done a thing with my DN registrar. I did, however, open a new hosting account.
First off, thank you "sleepless in seattle" for posting this blog entry. google helped me (and no doubt a lot of you) to find you and discover we're not alone. :)
I've been getting calls from this number at least once a day for the last three weeks. Sometimes more than once a day.
Once, I picked up the phone and the person asked if I was the CEO of my company. I said no, you've called a personal cell phone number and not to call again.
I've also gotten one voice mail message from them where the person simply said "hello? is someone there?"
This leads me to believe that they are using an automated dialer to call us on our cell phones... which according to the FTC is ILLEGAL!!
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.shtm
So, next time they call you, pick up and immediately ask what company they are (and write it down), tell them to cease and desist calling your number immediately, tell them to put your number on their do not call list, ask to speak to their manager, and verify that this is done, get their name, their manager's name, their company name (and repeat this information to them and/or their manager so they know you are writing it down), and tell them that if they do not stop calling you, you will notify the authorities of their illegal telemarketing practices.
That should get their attention and get them to stop calling cell phone numbers.
At the very least, someone find out what company it is so that we can report them?
(reposting this comment because I fail at spelling)
Emily, this is all great, although as I posted before, I think this is overseas VoIP (voice over IP) using cheap Internet calling -- which means that it's possible the firms are entirely outside the US, and, while they can't do what they're doing, there may be no way to stop them!
I've been getting calls from this number more and more; but now, it's popping up twice on my caller ID each time they call (usually 1-2x per day). But over the last two days, I've also gotten a legitimate looking number calling me at the exact same time - (210) 290-0193. When I call this number, it says "The Cricket number you have called is no longer in service. Message 21, F[S?].A.T." That area code and prefix combination is a San Antonio, Texas phone number. Maybe someone can run with that info?
I got a call from 206-701-9832 that appeared to be the same caller under a different number. Looking it up, it looks like that's one of Skype's numbers -- they're using an internet phone service, which is going to make them difficult to track down...
I've been getting calls from that 900-193 on my cell. I just dont answer them. I finally answered one by accident. called my carrier to report my concern of the 900 # and the # doesnt even appear on the log at all. They also looked the next day, still nothing in the call log. Is this a new scam in the making?? Anybody?? (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Still getting daily harrasment from 900-193, sometimes back to back, 2-3 times a day.
I too had the (210) 290-0193 missed call. I called that number back not realizing that was the 900-193, and sure enough I got that cricket message as well.
Is it possible to do call blocking on att mobile phones i wonder?
32 comments:
I've gotten this twice in the last few days: 5/30 & 6/3, definitely odd
I've had calls from that number about a half dozen times in the last couple of days. If found your blog Googling for the number. (I'm in Austin, TX.)
Same here... Second time in two days. No results for number... Either a collection call or they got my number from a job search. They are calling my cell.
I just got 3 phone calls on my cell in a row from that number, though I didn't answer. I do text google SMS from my cell. I'm in Boston.
Oh ya, I'm in Ft Worth.
I am getting it a lot too. 4 times in the last couple of days. 2 yesterday evening and 2 just now.
Anybody figure out what it is all about?
I got a call yesterday at 4pm from that number, and then again 3 times in a row today. I won't pick up. Please post if anyone finds out who it is. thx
I got it again yesterday. (Redmond, WA)
I answered and stayed on the line for 40 seconds or so to see if anyone would pick up. No luck.
I think next time they call we should Rickroll them. It seems no one is on the other end to receive it, but it might be fun.
Likewise. One call yesterday which I picked up (silence) and three in a row just now that I didn't. Weird. Particularly it being a "900" number.
Oh. And I'm in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area.
I got a call from 1-900-193 today and there was actually someone there. He wanted to talk to the marketing department of my company. This was on my cell phone and my company (such as it is - a little freelance web design) is one person, so I fairly politely told him to go away.
About three days ago, I got another call from a six digit number that was I think a 900 number (my call log got wiped so I'm not sure). I know the reason for that call: I had just created a new web site hosting account and knew I would receive a verification phone call before the account could be activated. When the call came, I picked up but no one spoke, and the account was then activated.
Does this throw any light on it for anyone? I hope that, having given my cell number to a new company, I will not start getting a lot of weird calls like this.
Interesting. I do get random calls from people scouring domain name records from time to time.
I suspect 900-193 just hides the real number of whoever is calling.
Guess I'll chime in. I got a call today on my personal cell phone (I'm in the Cincinnati area) from 900-193; picked it up and a woman with a distinctly Indian accent asked me "are you the person in charge of marketing your website?"
Well, since none of my websites actually sell anything, and I'm certainly not in charge of marketing at work (I'm a software developer!), I hung up.
Yep, it looks like it's just a company that none of us wants to talk to that's scouring domain records. Here's a hint that I learned while working at the Gallup phone polls: if you DO get to talk to someone, and you say "do not call again" or something similar, they are legally not permitted to call you again. If you just hang up, they can keep calling as much as they want. Or, at least that's what they told us in training. It seems to have worked for me; I don't think I've gotten a single callback since I started doing that myself.
I've gotten calls from this number 3 times in the last few days on my cell phone. I'm in Austin, Texas as well.
Come to think of it ... I think I got an Idian sounding dude asking that same question, "who's in charge of advertising website." That was only on one of the calls. The others were just silence.
I've been getting the same call, multiple times for three days now. I thought maybe is was a Verizon thing.
Looks as if everyone is receving the calls on their cell phones. If you manage to get a human on the line, remind them that it's illegal to make unsolicited calls to cell phones.
Third time in three days, same time - they have a dialer which would explain why some people didnt get a response, no one at their desk. Makes sense that it would be a marketing call solicited from domain records as I own several. I am on the national do not call list, so they are probably not doing this legally. Since we now know what they're doing, I will answer it tomorrow and ask them to not call again.
Has to be some sort of number masking thingamajig...
I called Verizon and they said there's nothing they can/will do; they don't take reports of harassing callers. :(
I've been getting calls from this number (I'm in NY) daily for the last week or so. I've never picked up.
About a week before this I was getting similar calls from an equally odd looking number, and I did pick up. It was some guy with a very thick Asian accent of some kind saying some nonsense about advertising/marketing.
Idiots.
Bunch of calls from that fake Caller ID number. My phone doesn't allow number-based blocking unfortunately. Someone has obviously figured out how to use cheap labor, unlimited VoIP, and a Caller ID spoofer (which is very easy) to try to drum up business.
I'm in Austin, TX with AT&T (iPhone). I started getting calls from 900-193 starting 6/2 (1 call), 6/3 (2 calls back-to-back), 6/4 (1 call, answered but signal dropped immediately), 6/9 (3 calls!).
I recently transfered a .org domain Network Solutions to GoDaddy. This this ring a bell for anyone??
Since posting last week, I've gotten at least two more calls from 1-900-193. Today it was a women asking about marketing - even though I told a guy last week I wasn't interested. I yelled at her. I doubt there's anything legal we can do to stop them, as I too am already on Do Not Call lists. I am ordinarily a peaceful person - but I wonder if it would help if next time one of them calls me I threaten them with violence? Or would that just get ME in trouble? I'd like to see them try it!
Oh - to openidmaverick, tranferring a domain name doesn't ring any bells, I haven't done a thing with my DN registrar. I did, however, open a new hosting account.
And for what it's worth, I'm in Minnesota.
First off, thank you "sleepless in seattle" for posting this blog entry. google helped me (and no doubt a lot of you) to find you and discover we're not alone. :)
I've been getting calls from this number at least once a day for the last three weeks. Sometimes more than once a day.
Once, I picked up the phone and the person asked if I was the CEO of my company. I said no, you've called a personal cell phone number and not to call again.
I've also gotten one voice mail message from them where the person simply said "hello? is someone there?"
This leads me to believe that they are using an automated dialer to call us on our cell phones... which according to the FTC is ILLEGAL!!
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.shtm
So, next time they call you, pick up and immediately ask what company they are (and write it down), tell them to cease and desist calling your number immediately, tell them to put your number on their do not call list, ask to speak to their manager, and verify that this is done, get their name, their manager's name, their company name (and repeat this information to them and/or their manager so they know you are writing it down), and tell them that if they do not stop calling you, you will notify the authorities of their illegal telemarketing practices.
That should get their attention and get them to stop calling cell phone numbers.
At the very least, someone find out what company it is so that we can report them?
(reposting this comment because I fail at spelling)
Emily, this is all great, although as I posted before, I think this is overseas VoIP (voice over IP) using cheap Internet calling -- which means that it's possible the firms are entirely outside the US, and, while they can't do what they're doing, there may be no way to stop them!
I've been getting calls from this number more and more; but now, it's popping up twice on my caller ID each time they call (usually 1-2x per day). But over the last two days, I've also gotten a legitimate looking number calling me at the exact same time - (210) 290-0193. When I call this number, it says "The Cricket number you have called is no longer in service. Message 21, F[S?].A.T." That area code and prefix combination is a San Antonio, Texas phone number. Maybe someone can run with that info?
I got a call from 206-701-9832 that appeared to be the same caller under a different number. Looking it up, it looks like that's one of Skype's numbers -- they're using an internet phone service, which is going to make them difficult to track down...
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-206-701-9832
I've been getting calls from that 900-193 on my cell. I just dont answer them. I finally answered one by accident. called my carrier to report my concern of the 900 # and the # doesnt even appear on the log at all. They also looked the next day, still nothing in the call log. Is this a new scam in the making?? Anybody?? (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Still getting daily harrasment from 900-193, sometimes back to back, 2-3 times a day.
I too had the (210) 290-0193 missed call. I called that number back not realizing that was the 900-193, and sure enough I got that cricket message as well.
Is it possible to do call blocking on att mobile phones i wonder?
Someone get their IP...
:grin:
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